Flavio was born in Fitchburg on July 18, 1913, son of Joseph and Ottilia (Ballarin) DeBonis, and attended Fitchburg schools. He was a member of the class of 1931 at Fitchburg High School. Flavio left school at age 15 to work in the family gardening and landscaping business, later receiving his high school diploma. Flavio was an outstanding amateur and professional boxer winning Golden Gloves and Jr. National Championships.

Flavio married Barbara (Smith) on June 12, 1939. During World War II, he worked at Simonds Saw & Steel. He attended the Boston School of Floral Art and Design and in 1945, opened DeBonis the Florist on Main Street in Fitchburg. In 1954, Flavio established DeBonis Garden Center & Nurseries at Kings Corner in Leominster, which he and Barbara owned and operated until their retirement in 1975. He was a Registered Landscape Architect and a member of Massachusetts & New England Nurserymenís Association.

In 1961, Flavio and Barbara moved to Lunenburg where they lived until 1997, when they moved to Leominster. His last years were spent at Wachusett Manor in Gardner.

Flavio was a former member of the South End National Social Club, Eagles Club, The Elks, the Exchange Club, Sons of Italy, Knights of Columbus, United Commercial Travelers Association, Chamber of Commerce, Corporator and Trustee of Fitchburg Savings Bank, and Saint Anthony de Padua Parish. He served a term as Exalted Ruler of the Fitchburg Lodge of Elks and President of the Fitchburg Exchange Club.

Flavio is survived by his daughter, Beth McManus and her husband Charles; his son, George DeBonis and his wife Lorraine (Cormier); his grandchildren, Andrew McManus and his wife Cheryl, Jean McManus, Sheila McManus and Lance Glynn, Barbara McManus and her husband John Walsh, Lori (DeBonis) Gillette and her husband Robert, Mark DeBonis and his wife Sonya, and Catherine (DeBonis) Hoover and her husband Peter; great grandchildren, Bobby, Ronni, Jonathan, Matthew, Joseph, Timothy, Leah, and Fiona; two sisters, Catherine Driscoll of FL and Irene Carbone of Fitchburg; one brother-in-law, Antonio Romano of SC; many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by two brothers, Livio and Silvio.

The funeral will be held Saturday, November 29, from Brandon Funeral Home, 305 Wanoosnoc Rd., Fitchburg, with a Mass at 1:00 P.M. at Saint Anthony de Padua Church, 84 Salem St., Fitchburg. Burial will follow in Saint Bernardís Cemetery.

Calling hours will precede the funeral Saturday, November 29, from 11:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. in the funeral home.

Donations may be made to the Saint Anthony Church Restoration Fund, 84 Salem St., Fitchburg, MA 01420 or to the Wachusett Manor Activity Fund, Hospital Hill Rd., Gardner, MA 01440.

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